£3bn plan unveiled by Urban Growth Company for HS2’s Interchange Station

A £3bn plan to create a sustainable new business, leisure and residential centre near HS2’s Interchange Station in Solihull has been launched by the Urban Growth Company.

The firm has published the Arden Cross Masterplan, with proposals for the 346-acre site at The UK Central Hub, in Solihull surrounding the HS2 and the NEC, to potentially boost the regional economy of the Midlands by more than £1bn, create and support up to 27,000 new jobs, and deliver up to 3,000 new homes and up to six million square feet of commercial development.

Arden Cross sits alongside Birmingham Airport, the NEC, Birmingham Business Park and Jaguar Land Rover, and is an integral part of the Urban Growth Company’s wider plans.

The Hub is an intended major destination in the West Midlands, attracting businesses and people, with the aim of becoming a key driver for local, regional and national economies.

Nick Brown, chairman of the Urban Growth Company, said: “A huge amount of work has been undertaken by all the partners to get to this stage so we welcome the ambition of this masterplan which is perfectly aligned to our wider ambitions for the UK Central Hub.

“For example, we now see HS2 on board with plans for The Hub, including support for multi-storey car parks at Arden Cross rather than surface car parks which would hugely frustrate development opportunities there.

“That coming together of partners and agreement of shared principles means we are moving ever closer to our joint goal of greenbelt release and delivering high-quality, sustainable, mixed-use development. That is how we’ll create the jobs, homes, commercial spaces and world-class connectivity the region needs now more than ever.”